Write to Fiona Caine if you have any problems with courtship, marriage or family. Letters and replies - with names strictly confidential - will be published here.

Q My daughter is 24 and lives at home. She works nearby at a company she joined last year. Everything has been fine until just recently when I started getting calls and visits from the wife of a man who works with my daughter.

This woman is very aggressive and has accused my daughter of sleeping with her husband. She has also said some nasty things about me and what she plans to do to my daughter when she catches her. This is all very frightening and I am now scared to leave the house in case I meet her.

My daughter said that she has seen this man socially a few times but she swears she has never slept with him. How can we get this woman to leave us alone? - A K.

A. Whether your daughter has slept with this man or not, this woman has no right to threaten you both like this. If she continues to do so, you should contact the police. Explain what has been happening and they should be able to advise you how to proceed.

Meanwhile, if she should happen to return, don't engage her in any way. Remain calm and put the phone down or close the door. Also, try to keep an exact record of the date, time and what happened.

QI am 42 and feel I have wasted my life. Other people seem to have achieved so much and to have been to such exciting places. As for me, I can't remember the last time I had anything interesting to say.

I have drifted from job to job over the past 20 years and am still no nearer to knowing what I want to do. I have few friends and the only person I have ever loved left me three years ago when she could no longer cope with my moods. I feel as though my life is like treading water while I wait to drown. How do other people cope with the futility of it all? - W H.

A. Dealing with life from such a negative standpoint cannot be easy. However, I suspect you don't feel this way completely - else why write to me? A part of you must still be looking for a way to turn things around. As such, it is NOT too late to start making changes to your life.

As your first step I suggest you see your doctor. It is possible your negative attitude to life could be the result of depression and this is something that is often very treatable through medication and/or counselling. And if it is not depression, your doctor should also be able to suggest other avenues for you to explore. In the meantime, if you feel that things are getting on top of you or you simply need to talk to someone, please contact the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90.

Q I got married last year and, at first, I was very happy. However, over the last few months I have lost all trust in my husband. He says he loves me but I cannot shake off the feeling that he is seeing other women. This has been driving me crazy while I am at home and I have started dropping into his office unannounced during the day to make sure he is there when he says he is. I have also started to check his diary and other papers.

I got a shock last week when he caught me doing this and, after a lot of evasion, I finally explained why. He was taken aback but then tried to reassure me there was no one else in his life. I want to believe him but I can't. I feel so confused. - W L.

A. It is hard to see what has caused you to feel this way. As far as I can tell, your husband hasn't done or said anything to make you react like this. I also sense you have no real evidence to back up your suspicions.

I wonder if your feelings of insecurity stem from the fact that, outside of your home and marriage, there is little for you to do. It could be that you simply have too much time on your hands in which to worry. And, in such circumstances, it is not surprising that your insecurities are growing.

So please, look to develop new interests, especially those that can take you out of the house on a regular basis, such as an evening class or voluntary work with a charity.